60’s JPK Question

[Jpage]

Hi, does anyone know why Camillus, and perhaps other manufacturers, applied gray paint to the pommel of the Pilot-survival knife ? I have an example made by Ontario, from 1984, with black paint on the pommel. I’m mystified.....

[72psb]

Any protective finish applied to the blade and tang would have been destroyed by the peening process in the area, when putting on the the pommel. Anti-corrosion measure.

[Survival]

I always thought the light paint on the top was for visibility.  Especially when its zipped up inside a USN survival vest you are looking down at it in a pocket and will only see the top.  Just a guess!